A crossroad in Willow's life
by sWeeT gUrL123
Summary: Set after Wrecked what would happen if Oz came back? Would Willow chose a life with Oz or a Chance with Tara? Final Chapter Up. Sequal coming soon.
1. The witches worries

"I am sorry Miss. Rosenberg but your academic performance over the last few months has done nothing but deteriorate and your countless absentees haven't helped." The person across the brown desk wasn't even looking at her. He was sitting there ruining her future and all he did was read those stupid papers in fount of him.  
"Well I can do better… I mean I'm schoolgirl. I have always been schoolgirl. I love school." Willow said she felt like she was three inches tall.  
"I'm sorry but you no longer qualify to be in the advanced placement program and it's to late in the semester to place you in on level."  
"Are you kicking me out?" She asked trying to hold back tears.  
"No… don't think of it that way… you just will not be eligible to attend classes for the rest of this year. Next Autumn you are welcome to re-enroll… as a junior again of course." He stood up and looked down at her, "Well I have another appointment so…" Willow stood and shook his hand, "We will look forward to seeing you next fall."   
"Thank you." Willow chocked out as she walked out the door. Her whole body was num. In just a few weeks her entire life had been turned up side down. First Giles the only person who had ever felt like a parent to her. Told her that she was basically stupid. And then Tara, who had walked out on her, Also Dawn she had almost killed Dawn, now this.  
Soon Willow found her self in front of the Summer's home. She just stood there. This wasn't really her home and she couldn't stay there forever, she wasn't needed anymore and she couldn't move back to the apartment, Tara had moved back in there and she wouldn't exactly open her with open arms.   
She pushed the door open and entered the front hallway. Her coat hung on the rack. She was so nervous when they called wanting her to come down to the school that she had left it.   
The T.V blasted from the living room and there was a familiar laughter. Willow peeked around the corner. Tara was sitting on the couch with Dawn.   
Dawn was laughing so hard that she her body shook, "Oww." She grabbed her arm in the sling.  
"Oh sweetie you okay?" Tara asked flipping off the T.V. and looking at Dawn. Out of all the scoobies Tara had the most motherly instinct for Dawn. And with Buffy being so distant lately she was the only parental figure Dawn had left.   
"Yeah. I'm fine." She looked down, "I try to hate her… But I just cant you know. She does such stupid stuff and could of gotten me killed but…"  
"It's Willow?" Tara said pushing Dawn's hair out of her face.   
"Exactly." Dawn said looking down, "When we first moved here. I had no friends for the longest time. But Buffy met Xander and Willow right off the back. So they became my friends in a way. I would hang around them as much as possible. Willow was real nice about it though. One night she even let me stay over at her house. It was so much fun… She was such a different person then." Dawn put her head on Tara's shoulder.   
Tara laid her head on top of Dawn's, "Really?"   
"Yeah. Nothing like she is now. She loved people more then magic. You could always count on her. She's a lot like you are now." There was a long silence, "Do you ever think you'll get back together."   
"I wish I knew. I'll always love her but I just can't trust her anymore." Tara looked down and Dawn had fallen asleep on her shoulder.   
Willow who had been listening to the whole conversation whipped tears from her cheek. She walked into sight of the living room. Tara looked up at her and the two just stared at each other. Tara broke the stair and looked down at Dawn and her arm and then looked back to Willow and mouthed, "How could you?" Will couldn't stand it anymore she ran up the stairs to her room slamming the door behind her. She cried her self to sleep.   
The morning lights threw the blinds was almost blinding. Struggling to make out figures she rubbed her eyes. Then Willow saw it. There was a witch and werewolf pez dispensers on the table next to her. She jumped up throwing on the dress she had on yesterday. It was the same dress she had warn when the singing demon had taken over Sunnydale. She ran down the stairs. Dawn was in the front entrance way.   
"Where are you going?" Dawn asked. She hadn't spoken to Willow in a week and this is the time she wants to have a conversation.  
"Out." Will said. She wanted to make up with Dawn but she was in a hurry.   
"Well can I come? I figured we could talk."   
"That sounds great but not this time Dawn. Later." She hugged Dawn and ran out the front door.   
Dawn just stood there in the doorway, "I tried."   
Willow ran as fast as her legs would carry her to her past to her future she didn't know but she had to get to the cemetery. She entered the crypt where they used to keep the werewolf cage. Slowly stepping down the stairs. There was a redheaded figure sitting at the bottom of them. "You know normal people call." She said sitting down beside him.  
"Since when are we normal?" He asked  
"Nice to see you Oz." Willow leaned in and hugged her ex-lover. "I've missed you."  
"You to." Oz said closing his eyes and smelling Willow's hair. She finally broke it.   
"What are you doing here?"   
He looked at her, "You've been crying for weeks you think I didn't since that you were in pain." Willow looked to the ground, "You want to tell me what's been going on?"   
Willow explained about all the torment she had been threw… "And that's when she said she couldn't trust me anymore."   
She and Oz sat in silence for a minute. Both looking at the ground and then Willow felt his hand wrap around hers, "Anyone who doesn't want you in their arms is an idiot." They looked up at each other. There lips met seamlessly and they slowly got wrapped up in each other's arms. They lost all since of time and the world out side the door. Slowly day faded to night and then day again.   
She opened her eyes to find Oz was watching her sleep, "Morning." She said with a smile.  
"Its morning already." He said looking up at the light peeking threw the cracks. "Hmm, It didn't seem that long."   
"No kidding." She yawned.  
"Do you feel like breakfast?" He asked.  
"Breakfast would be great." She looked down at her watch. "Shoot there was a Scooby meeting last night. We better check by the magic shop and tell them I'm okay… If they care." Willow said sitting up.   
"If it's any consolation, I care." Oz said and was immediately answered by a kiss.   
Standing out the magic shop Willow took a deep breath and turned to Oz, "You ready to see everybody again?"   
"Yeah. Why don't you go in ahead of me though."   
"Chicken." Willow said laughing. She opened the magic shop door. The bell above her made all the scoobies that were in the magic shop jump to their feet.   
"Will." Xander rushed to her and hugged her, "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"   
Next Buffy came running, "What happened."   
Then Dawn, Anya and Tara followed. Willow's eyes immediately when to Tara, "What are you doing here."   
"When you didn't show up we called Tara. Now what happened?" Buffy asked looking frustrated.   
"Yeah what's the big bad?" Dawn asked.   
"No big bad." Will said reassuring Dawn.  
"Then where the HELL have you been? And what in GODS NAME have you been doing?" Xander yelled.  
"Hi guys." A voice from behind Willow said. The entire group went into shock.   
"Oz is back." Willow said with a small voice. 


	2. Chapter 2

"So you actually backpacked threw Asia?" Xander asked with amazement.   
"Yeah its not as existing as it sounds." Oz said looking back at him.   
The scoobies sat at the table in the magic shop.   
"So how long you here for?" Anya asked.   
"A while." He looked up at Willow, "A long while."   
A silence fell over the group.Tara who had been standing by the bookshelves spoke up, "Its 8:30 come on get your books and I will take you to school Dawn."   
"Okay." Dawn stood up from the table. She hadn't stopped given Oz the evil eye since he walked in. She used to think Oz was a god. But she was so protective of Tara now anyone who could hurt her Dawn would hate. "Bye see ya'll after school." She and Tara walked out the door. And then there was silence again.  
Oz looked at Buffy, "Don't take this the wrong way but what did I do to piss off your sister so bad?"   
Buffy let out a sye, "Don't take it the wrong way she's just… well she is really tight with Tar…"   
Willow cut her off, "Buffy why don't you come with me to the coffee shop and will pick up morning caffeine."   
"Sounds good to me." She picked up her coat.   
"You guys want?" Will said standing up from her seat next to Oz.   
"Nah none for us." Xander answered.   
Willow looked down at Oz, "Something strong?" She asked.  
"Yeah." He squeezed her hand. Unnoticed to Xander and Anya but Buffy saw it.   
"We will be right back." Buffy said pulling Willow out the door. "So you want to tell me what's going on or do you want me to beat it out of you?" Buffy asked as they arrived at the coffee house.  
"What do you mean?" Willow said innocently.   
"Don't go there." Buffy said stopping. "What's going on?"   
Willow stood there for a second before answering, "He came back… he came back for me." She said with a smile.  
Meanwhile Tara was walking Dawn to school, "So do you think you missed much this morning?" Tara asked.  
"Nah I have art first hour." Dawn looked over to Tara, "Are you okay?"   
"I'm fine Dawny. Willow and I aren't together anymore and… well… she's moved on." The only person Tara was trying to convince when she said that was her self.   
"But what about Tara?" Buffy asked as she and Willow were walking back with the coffee.  
"Buffy in my entire life I have loved exactly three people. One is getting married, the second hates me and the third wants to be with me. Who would you choose?"   
"Tara doesn't hate you." Buffy said as they turned the last corner.   
"Maybe not but she doesn't love me." Willow said right before she opened the door. "Were back."   
"Hey." Xander answered.   
Willow and Buffy came and sat back at the table, "So what have you been talking about?" Willow asked handing Oz his coffee.  
"Oh Xander was trying to get Oz to say weather or not you two had been screwing." Anya said.   
Willow chocked on her drink, "What?"   
Xander turned to Anya, "What? That's what we were talking about. You said…" Anya began imitating Xander, "So man you and Will been keeping you pants onnn." Xander put his hand over her mouth.   
"She has a vivid imagination." Xander said with a smile.  
"So you ready to go?" Willow asked turning to Oz. And they both stood up.  
"Where are you two off to?" Buffy asked.   
"Probably to have sex." Anya said with a strait face.  
"Were going to breakfast and then to look for an apartment for Oz." Will said looking at Anya.   
"Wow so you really are sticking around." Buffy asked Oz.  
"That's the plan. Come on sweetie lets go." Oz and Willow left.   
"Did he just call her…"   
"Sweetie." Buffy finished Xander's sentence. 


	3. A choice

That night at the Summer's house Buffy sat at the head of the table where she and Dawn were eating.   
"So what are you up to tonight?" Buffy said looking up at Dawn.   
"Oh Tara's going to come over and watch the last part of the movie we started yesterday." She said finishing up her meal.   
"You two have been hanging out a lot lately." Buffy said clearing her plate from the table.   
"Yeah well she's been sad lately. You know. The scoobies are her life and now that she and Willow… Well she just needs a friend."   
"Yeah I know." Buffy said as she and her little sister put their plates in the sink. There was a sudden laughter that burst threw the front door.   
"I thought I was going to die when he said he wanted 2000 a month." Will laughed. Buffy and Dawn came threw the kitchen to see what was up. "Oh hey guys. Were back."   
"So how goes the apartment hunt?" Buffy asked Oz.  
"Not to well." He answered.   
"Yeah all we accomplished this afternoon was to get very tired, very quickly." Willow laughed, "Were gonna go up to bed."  
"We?" Dawn asked with a go to hell look to Oz.   
Willow stepped in ignoring Dawn's remark, "Goodnight you two."   
"Goodnight." Buffy said trying to keep the peace.   
Oz followed Willow up the stairs, "You're not actually going to let them sleep up there are you?" Dawn asked crossing her arms.  
"Dawn I know this basically sucks but its Willow's life." Buffy said going back to the dishes.   
"But she loves Tara." Dawn argued.  
"You know that and I know that heck everybody knows that except for Oz and Willow says she loves him now so all we can do is sit back and wait." Buffy said getting frustrated.   
Oz because of being half werewolf had great hearing. To good actually he heard the entire conversation between Dawn and Buffy. He stood staring out side the window of Willow's room. He knew that as long as they were in Sunnydale there was a risk of her going back to Tara. A risk he didn't want to take.   
"What ya thinking about?" Willow said putting her arms around him.   
"Nothing… Willow have you ever wanted to see the South America?" He asked looking at her.  
"Sure. You know I've always wanted to travel. Why?" She said with a slight laugh.   
"Why don't we go see it?" Oz said turning around and holding her.  
"You mean leave Sunnydale?" She asked.  
"Sure why not I mean you don't haft to be back at school till next fall right. We could see the world. See it together." 


	4. Im not going anywhere with out you

"Oz I don't know. I've never really been away from Sunnydale for a long time." Willow said backing up.  
"Come on it's a chance to be who ever you want to be and there's nothing really keeping you here." There was a long silence and then Oz looked her strait in the eyes and asked, "Is there?"   
"No of course not it's just…"   
Oz walked towards her, "Hey you don't haft to answer now. Think it over. I'm not going anywhere with out you. Okay?" He hugged her.  
"Okay." 


	5. Not Needed

"You know you'd think the guy would learn." Dawn said to Tara as she was turning off the movie.   
"Yeah… I'm going to get a drink you want something." Tara asked standing up from the Summer's living room couch.   
"Anything with sugar." Dawn said flipping threw the channels on the T.V.  
"Milk it is." Tara said playing the motherly role.  
"Your no fun." Dawn yelled as Tara walked down the hall to the kitchen stopping right out the door. Willow and Buffy were sitting at the counter having a conversation so Tara remained out of sight.  
"So are you gonna go?" Buffy asked taking a sip from a coffee mug she had in front of her.   
"I think it's the best thing. I'm not needed here."   
"What do you mean your not needed here?" Buffy asked slamming her drink down.  
"Oh come on Buffy. Name one thing that contribute to the Scooby gang."   
"Lots of things. There's magic…which you don't really do anymore so there's… computer hacking and the natural Willow brain power." Buffy argued  
"You mean the brain power that got me kicked out of school." Willow took a deep breath, "I just think it's the best thing for everyone. You all won't haft to worry about me going back to magic, Tara can move back in up stairs. So that she can be here for Dawn, and I can have a chance at a life."   
Buffy turned her chair to Willow's, "It doesn't sound like a life to me Willow. I sounds like your running away from your problems.   
"Come on Buffy I am not running away from my problems. I'm fixing all the problems I've caused." Willow stood up and walked to the opposite door from where Tara was at.   
"When will you leave?" Buffy asked Willow who was turned away from her.   
"Soon. I think the sooner the better." Willow walked out of the kitchen and back up the stairs to her room."   
Buffy stared forward, "So are you going to let her go?"   
Tara came out of her hiding spot, "I can't stop her and I don't think she wants me to."   
"I think you're the only thing she does want." Buffy said looking back at Tara. 


	6. A Choice is Made

When the sun was just beganing to rise over Sunnydale Tara stared out the window of her apartment, Buffy sat on the front steps of the house, and Willow lied next to Oz. Not one of them had gotten a wink of sleep.   
"A penny for your thoughts?" The figure in the bed next to Willow asked.   
"Just thinking." Willow said staring about the ceiling.  
"So what did you deside?" Oz asked leaning over and putting his arms around her.  
"I desided it was time to grow up and move on… with you." Willow said turning to Oz with a smile.   
"Really?" He asked.  
Willow just leaned in and kissed him. 


	7. The Meeting

Willow didn't waist anytime getting everyone on the phone. All she said was "Scooby meeting at the magic shop at 10."   
So at ten oclock on the dot everyone was sitting around the reasurch area. Everyone except for Oz he had gone to pick up boxes.   
"So what's going on Will?" Xander said sitting across from her at the table.   
Dawn and Tara were standing over by the bookshelves, "Why don't you guys come sit down." Willow asked. Dawn did but Tara still stood by the books. She didn't want to be to close incase she lost her cool and had to leave.   
Willow looked around at her friends and tried to hold back tears, "Well I guess the best way to do this is just say it… I'm leaving."   
"Leaving?" Dawn asked.   
"Leaving Sunnydale." Willow answered to turning to Dawn.  
Anya who was standing at the cash regester walked over to the table, "Why?"   
"Oz and I… were going to go on a trip." Willow said folding her hands on the table.   
"But you're coming back right?" Dawn asked.   
"Of course." Willow said trying to comfort Dawn.  
"When?" Xander asked.  
"Um next fall maybe. I don't know." Willow said looking confussed.   
Tara who had been silence threw the whole thing spoke up, "Wh…wh… when are you…le…leaving?"   
"With in the next few days." Willow said looking up at Tara. Tara had once told her that she only studdered when she was eather hurting or nervious.  
"But why Will? I thought Oz was just gonna set up shop here." Xander asked.   
"We just…" Willow stared at the table.   
"Oh I can tell you why." Anya said with authority.  
"Anya baby now might not be the best…"   
"Xander let her speak." Buffy said with anger.   
"She doesn't deal with getting dumped." Anya said with a smile.   
"Excuse me?" Willow asked.  
"Come on… When Xander didn't want to date you… you became his puppy basicly following him around all threw high school. When Oz left you threw your self in front of a car, and then when Tara first left you, you turned your rat into a playmate and almost killed Dawn. I was just waiting to see what you would do next."   
"Anya that's enough." Xander said yelling at his bride to be.   
"I was just being honest." Anya said hurt.   
Everyone sat silently for what seemed like forever, "I don't want you to go." Dawn said softly.  
Willow leaned over and hugged her. She was the first person to say that to her.   
"It's going to be okay." Willow said looking up from her hug with Dawn to Tara.  
"Yeah. Willow's got it all worked out." Buffy said with a mocking tone, "She has this big master plan so that she can run away."   
Willow broke her hug with Dawn and looked at Buffy, "You're one to talk." Willow said standing up from the table. Buffy had no right to have that attitude with her. When she her self had left Sunnydale just a few years ago.   
"You stopped me from making my mastake again and I was just trying to return the favor." Buffy said standing up and looking Willow in the eyes.   
"I stopped you the second time you the second time you tried to run because people wanted you to stay. You had a life here." They were yelling at each other now and the rest of the Scooby's just stared.   
"So do you."  
"With who?" Willow asked as her voice got very soft.  
The room suddenly went still. Willow's eyes shot over to Tara, who was looking at the floor.   
With out saying a word Willow picked up her coat that was sitting on the table and walked out the door. 


	8. A good idea

Willow walked threw the rubble. The high school had been deserted for so long but it still had a home like feeling to her. She wasn't ready to go home and see Oz yet and she wasn't ready to go back to the house and face Oz and all the money in the world couldn't make her go back to the magic shop. So she just walked and somehow she ended up back at the old school.   
The library was where she had spent almost all of her high school days when she was still regular old Willow. The library was dark and dank now. Well it was always dark and dank. This was the only place she could find peace and quite, so she just sat down on the stairs, sat and cried.  
Back at the house Buffy had settled in up stairs to get the sleep that she missed last night and Dawn sat on the front steps. Dawn didn't sit alone for long though. With in a few minutes Oz showed up carrying boxes, "Hey Dawny could you help me out here?"   
"Sure." Dawn got to her feet and took the boxes from Oz.   
"Thanks." Oz said with a sye.  
"Oh your welcome." Dawn said sweetly before throwing the boxes out on to the yard.  
"Hey what's with you?" Oz asked looking at the boxes on the grass.  
"Um let me think…your breaking up my family maybe." Dawn said crossing her arms.  
"What are you talking about?" Oz said picking up the boxes.   
"You know things were getting better before you came along." Dawn said sitting down on the steps.  
"From what I saw things were horrible." Oz said setting the boxes down and taking a set next to Dawn.  
"Yeah you were looking at things from the wrong point of few." Dawn said looking strait ahead.   
"Tell me what you saw then."   
"I lost my mother last year and then Buffy. I thought I had lost everything but then these two wonderful people moved in and I knew that someone still loved me. There was a life for me, for the first. I would wake up to find Tara and Willow fixing breakfast for me and all the time they were giving sweet glances at each other. And when Willow brought Buffy back they could have left but they didn't they stuck around." Dawn looked down.  
"I'm sorry but things changed long before I came back."   
"Yeah things happen in relationships, people fight but if no one interferes they tend to work things out. And now because of you they'll never get a chance." After a long silence Dawn turned to Oz and looked him strait in the eyes, "If you ever loved her you'd let her have a chance at real love."   
Oz didn't know what to say. Oz had never been out smarted by a ninth grader before.   
At the magic shop Xander, Anya and Tara were putting back some research books, "So do you think you'll move back in to the house. Xander asked handing a book to Tara.  
"I'm not sure. I know it would make Dawn happy but I think it would be a little weird."   
"You mean because Willow has been sleeping with Oz in your bed?" Anya said bluntly.  
"Anya maybe you and I need to sit down and have another talk on appropriate things to say." Xander said widdening his eyes.   
"It's okay." Tara said putting a book on the shelf.   
"Maybe we should through her a goodbye party." Anya said going back behind the counter. Xander and Tara looked at her shocked. "What? What did I do now?"   
"That's actually a GOOD idea." Xander answered.  
"Well don't look so shocked." Anya said insulted. 


	9. Facing the truth

The day passed quickly, "So what's for dinner?" Dawn asked entering the dinning room.   
"I haven't gotten that far yet." Buffy said sitting at the table and reading the paper.   
"It's 8 o'clock." Dawn said sitting down across from Buffy.  
"Oh." Buffy looked out side and saw that it was dark, "I'm sorry I lost track of time."  
"Yeah its okay. I'll just call Xander and see if he will bring over some pizza."  
Dawn said picking up the phone.   
Just then Willow walked in but she kept her distance, "Hey."   
Dawn put down the phone, "Hey. Where have you been?"   
"Around." Willow said softly.   
"Well we were just about to see if we could get a pizza over here." Dawn said holding up the phone.  
"Oh no." Willow said taking the phone. "Tara would kill me if…" Willow had to catch her self, "Come on I'll make you some dinner." Willow turned to Buffy, "You want some." She asked trying to make peace.  
"Sure." Buffy said with a half smile, "Can I help?"   
Willow shook her head yes and Buffy followed her and Dawn into the kitchen.  
Oz was sitting up stairs thinking, "Dawn's wrong. Willows unhappy here. She's only happy when she's with me." Just then he heard laughter from down stairs. He snuck down to see Willow, Buffy and Dawn in the kitchen.   
"So which part of the Cow does beef come from?" Dawn asked with a giggle.   
"It's better if you don't know." Willow said flipping the burger.  
"Oh come on." Dawn said taking a drink from her coke.  
"No she's right you wouldn't be able to enjoy it if you knew." Buffy said taking the bun bag out of the cabinet.  
"Not a clue huh?" Dawn asked.  
"Not one." Willow and Buffy said at the same time. And then all three broke out in laughter.   
Just then Anya, Xander and Tara came threw the back door with a cake and pizza. "We bring food." Xander said sitting it down on the counter. "You have food."   
"Well we didn't know you guys were coming over." Buffy said looking over at them, "You know civilized people use the phone."   
"Oh come on then you could have said no." A voice from behind Xander said. It was Spike.   
"Your hanging out with Xander now. I must be dreaming." Willow said turning off the stove.  
"Don't read to much into it. He had the good wine." Xander said taking the bottle from Spike.   
"Yeah your welcome." Spike snapped.  
"What's going on you guys?" Dawn asked.  
"Well we could just let our favorite red head leave with out a goodbye party." Xander said walking over and hugging Willow.  
"Thanks guys." Willow said looking at Tara.   
Oz stood out side the kitchen. She looked happy. She looked like she had a life, a good life. Maybe Dawn didn't lie. He turned and walked up the stairs.   
Dawn opened up the pizza box, "Yes!"   
"Just after I was about to get her to eat healthy." Willow said walking over and looking at the cake. Is said: TO OUR FAVORITE SCOOBY GOODBYE.   
"Oh that's impossible. Trust me I've tried." Tara said brushing back the hair from Dawn's face. Those motherly instincts again.   
"Thank you." Buffy mouthed to Spike. Their relationship was still unknown to the group.   
"Um I'm going to go get Oz." Willow said walking out of the kitchen. Man how she was going to miss them.   
Upstairs Oz was staring at a box across the room. It had TARA printed on it. He didn't know why he had never noticed it before.   
"Hey sweetie the Scooby's brought food." Willow said opening the bedroom door. "Hey what's the matter?" Willow said noticing the gloomy look on Oz's face. Then she saw what he was staring at, "Oh. That's just some stuff she left here." Willow said pulling her hair behind her ears.   
"That's not all she left here." Oz said softly before turning to Willow, "I'm leaving."   
"I know that. South America. You…Me… did you get hit on the head?" Willow asked.   
"No I'm leaving ALONE." Oz said looking to the ground.   
"What are you talking about?" Willow asked stepping towards him.  
"You don't belong with me." Oz managed to chock out.  
"What?" Willow asked confused.  
"You have a family here. And just because you were fighting… I shouldn't have come here. You need to be with those people down stairs. That's where you belong." Oz said as the tears started rolling down his cheeks.   
Willow just stood there in shock. "When?"   
"Now. The sooner I leave the sooner you can start fixing things. Building bridges instead of burning them." He leaned in and hugged her goodbye. He grabbed his bag off the bed and opened the door to leave but not before Willow could say one more thing.  
"Don't you love me?"   
"In my whole life I've never loved anything else." Oz said not even looking back at her. Then he walked out the door. Which was kind of a pattern in Sunnydale.   
Oz walked down the stairs and ran into Tara, "H..H..Hey." Tara said looking at the ground.   
"Don't hurt her." Oz said looking at her. Tara looked up confused. But by the time she looked up he was gone.   
  
TO BE CONTINUED... 


	10. Tripping threw life

"You know Will this whole party thing doesn't really work if you don't come down." Xander yelled up the stairs. The group had already gotten out plates and a knife to cut the cake. They were all set up with no guest of honor. Tara set in the corner waiting she hadn't said anything about Oz leaving. She wasn't even sure what it meant. "Okay I'm counting to three and then were starting with out you two." Xander yelled.   
"I'm here." Willow said in a low voice coming down the stairs.   
"Where's Oz?" Buffy asked looking up the stairs with Xander.   
"Um…" Willow reached the bottom of the stairs, "He left." She said walking into the living room.  
"What do you mean he left?" Anya asked from her spot on the couch next to Dawn.  
"I mean he left…" Willow looked at the ground, "And I'm not going to follow." Xander and Buffy both grabbed Willow and pulled her into an original Scooby group hug.  
"So I guess this means ya'll aren't mad I'm staying." Willow said as the air was being squeezed out of her.   
"Are you kidding me?" Buffy said letting go of the hug. "It was all I could do to keep my cool when you said you were leaving."   
"That was keeping your cool?" Willow asked   
"Coolish." Buffy said with a smile.   
Willow stepped back and looked around the room and then she spotted Tara in the corner of the room, "Hey." Willow said with a slight smile.  
"Hey." Tara said standing up.   
"Hey have you guys ever tried staring at popcorn while it's popping in the microwave it's supposed to be a religious experience." Xander said motioning to the Scoobies.   
"Yeah I've heard that." Buffy said taking a few steps towards the kitchen.   
"Sounds fun." Spike said following her.  
"I've watched popcorn pop it's not that existing." Anya said staring at Willow and Tara.  
"Well then why don't you come and supervise us then." Dawn said pulling Anya by the arm into the kitchen agents her will leaving Tara and Willow in the living room.   
"It's seriously disturbing that we usually decide the fate of the world." Willow said staring at the kitchen door. She never realized how un suttle her friends really were. Tara just gave a slight smile.   
"Um… If you still want to move in here I can find some place near." Willow said rubbing her arm.   
"Oh no. It's y.. your r… room."   
Willow looked to the ground, "It was never mine. It was ours… but never mine." Willow said looking at Tara.   
"Um… I think you better keep it." Tara answered looking at the ground.   
The two girls stood across the room from each other. They had always been inseparable and now it hurt to look at each other.   
'I'm going to get them out of the kitchen." Tara said walking past Willow. But Dawn had left her journal on the floor and Tara tripped and fell on Willow causing them to both die out laughing. They had repeated this scene before once when Willow cast a spell to make them loose their memories. Willow brushed the hair out of Tara's face and took a deep breath, "I never loved magic more then you… I never loved anything more then you." 


	11. Two parties one house

"Can we go back in there yet?" Dawn asked plopping her head down on the counter.   
"I didn't want to come back here in the first place." Anya said taking a bite out of the popcorn they had made twenty minutes ago.   
"Hey guys don't rush them. Make ups take time." Xander said sitting on the counter near the sink. "But if they don't make up soon I'm gonna sleep right here on your floor okay Buff?"   
"Sounds good to me." Buffy said as her eyes started drooping.   
"Hey don't fall asleep." Spike said from his spot by the door, "You've still got patrolling later."   
"Yeah…Yeah Sleep now Slay later." Buffy said closing her eyes.   
Back in the living room Willow sat on the coffee table across from Tara sitting on the couch. "We can't go back to the way things were Willow." Tara said with a serious look.  
"I know that." Willow answered, "Magic can't be in my life anymore. And I can't have it around me… but I can't ask you to give up your way of life."   
"My way of life isn't worth anything with out you." Tara said looking at the floor. "But I need to know that you wont go back to it."   
"I give you my word… I know that's not worth a lot anymore but I swear to you Magic wasn't worth what it cost me… I'm just not sure you would love the real me." Willow said before Tara's head shot up.   
"How could you think that?"   
"Isn't it the truth?" Willow said as tears began falling down her cheek.   
"Hey." Tara said wrapping her hands around Willow's, "When I got into the relationship it was for better or worse and in Sunnydale the worst is inevitable but I'm looking forward to the better. And the better is you… the REAL you."   
Willow smiled and stood up bringing Tara up with her. Then she led her by the hand out of the living room and up the stairs. 


	12. A new Beganing

The next morning Willow and Tara stumbled into the kitchen still in their pajama's and giggling but they stopped in their tracks when they saw what was in the kitchen. Anya, Buffy, and Dawn were asleep at the breakfast bar, Xander was curled up on the counter by the sink and Spike was asleep underneath Buffy's chair (out of direct sunlight of course.)   
Tara smiled and then just said to the group that had begun to wake up when they walked into the room, "Funny Shapes or Rounds?"   
Dawn rubbed her eyes, "That's what I like to hear." She got up and pulled Tara and Willow into a group hug.   
Just then there was a knock at the door, "I'll get it." Buffy said stumbling out of the kitchen. By the time she got into the living room someone rung the door bell, "I'm coming… I'm coming."   
Nothing in the world could have prepared Buffy for what she saw when she opened that door…   
"Riley?"   
  
TO BE CONTINUED... 


End file.
